State Certification Programs

Some states require community health workers (CHWs) to meet training or certification standards. Credentialing
and certification programs are often implemented by a department of health or department of public health. Other
state programs are implemented by a department of human services, board of nursing, or third-party entity.

The Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) tracks the current
status of state CHW training/certification standards. The current status of state-level CHW training and
certification standards is summarized below (updated January 2017).

State has a CHW training/certification program: Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota,
Mississippi, Nebraska, New York, South Carolina, and Washington.

State has laws/regulations establishing CHW certification program requirements: Maine,
Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, and Texas.

State has a statute creating an entity for establishing CHW program requirements: Illinois,
Maryland, and Rhode Island.

State has a training/certification program and state law licensing CHW businesses: Nevada.

Alaska does not have state-run CHW training/certification. The state has a statute that provides grants for
third-parties to conduct training for community health aides, who provide health services and home visits. Alaska's Community Health Aide Program dates back
to the 1960s.

Community
Health Worker Certificate Curriculum
Website
Lists the curriculum (courses and descriptions) required for the Ohio Board of Nursing Community Health Workers
certificate.Organization(s): Cincinnati State Technical and Community College

Community Health Worker Toolkit
Website
A compilation of reports, summaries, courses, and other information regarding CHW state laws and regulations and
other topics. Organization(s): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Community
Health Worker Training System
Tutorial/Training
Provides free training for CHWs. The training involves both online and in-person trainings. It is
offered four times per year in seven regions through Washington state.Organization(s): Washington State Department of Health

MDHC Clinical Initiatives – Community Health
Workers
Website
Describes rural and urban initiatives in the state of Mississippi to implement CHW programs. The Mississippi
State Department of Health is working with the Tougaloo College/Central Mississippi Area Health Education Center
(CMAHEC) to develop a standardized CHW certification program.Organization(s): Mississippi State Department of Health

State Community Health Worker
Models
Website
This map highlights state-specific activity to integrate CHWs into health care systems in key areas
including financing, education and training, certification, and state definitions, roles and scope of practice.
Organization(s): National Academy for State Health Policy

State Law Fact Sheet: A Summary of
State Community Health Worker Laws
Document
Identifies state laws related to Community Health Workers. Includes laws authorizing a CHW core certification
process and CHW certification to practice. Also identifies laws related to curriculum development, scope of
practice, CHWs in managed or team-based care models, and reimbursement.Organization(s): Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Date: 6/2016

The Rural Health Information Hub is supported by the Health Resources
and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
under Grant Number U56RH05539 (Rural Assistance Center for Federal Office of Rural Health
Policy Cooperative Agreement). Any information, content, or conclusions on this website are
those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor
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